Apparatus for packaging windows for shipment



Jan. 25, 1966 H. IVANHOE 3,231,075

APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING WINDOWS FOR SHIPMENT Filed June 20, 1963 hlll h IIIIIIIIIHI 1 hl INVENTOR.

HERMAN IVANHOE his ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,231,075 APPARATUS FOR PACKAGING WINDOWS FOR SHIPMENT Herman Ivanhoe, Tenafly, N..l., assignor to Win-Click Industries, Inc., Moonachie, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed June 20, 1963, Ser. No. 289,269 3 Claims. (Cl. 20646) This invention relates to improvements in packages, and more particularly, to an improved package for shipping storm windows and the like.

Presently available shipping packages for window frames are assembled by wiring the window frames together and enclosing an envelope containing fittings and other frame members within a wrapping of corrugated board. The window panes for the frames are separately wrapped and supported within the package.

These shipping packages do not protect the windows from deformation and breakage during the rough handling to which the packages are customarily subjected during shipment between the place of manufacture and the place of installation. Moreover, these packages of unassembl-ed windows require a certain minimum amount of on-site assembly, further increasing the risk of loss or damage and introducing additional labor and expense.

The present invention overcomes these disadvantages by providing for a shipping package of two generally matched windows which are joined together in back-toback relation by means of resilient clips which engage the sash guides of the windows. More particularly, the clips are cambered and are provided with claw portions generally perpendicular to the extremities of the clips. The claw portions thus slope inwardly toward the plane of maximum clip camber to engage resiliently the sash guides, drawing the two assembled windows together in a strong sturdy unit in which the window frames reinforce each other and form a protective frame around the window sashes.

For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be had to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of a clip according to the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a reversed isometric view of the clip shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a view in vertical section of a portion of the package embodying the invention; and

FIGURE 4 is a plan view in full section of the portion of the package shown in FIGURE 3, taken along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

A clip means has a cambered clip body portion 11 formed of resilient material, such as, for example, plastic or spring steel. The clip body portion 11 has a maximum camber 12 providing sloping clip body sides 13 and 14 which arcuately bridge across the interface 15 of two storm window frames 16 and 17 placed in back-to-back relation. The clip body portion 11 may, as an alternative, have a generally arcuate shape to bridge resiliently across the interface 15 and join the pair of window frames 16 and 17 together. Claws 18 and 19 formed generally perpendicular to the extremities of the sloping clip body sides 13 and 14, form an inwardly converging acute angle with the plane of the interface 15.

Conventional sashes 20 and 21 containing window panes Z2 and 23 are arranged to slide on sash guides 24 and 25 having flange portions 26 and 27 thereon outwardly disposed from the plane of the interface 15.

In operation, two generally matched storm window frames 16 and 17 are aligned in back-to-back relation- "ice ship with the sashes 20 and 21 adjusted to expose portions of the flanges 26 and 27 of the sash guides 24 and 25. A clip 10 is snapped into engagement with a flange 26 or 27 of each of the frames by manually pressing the claws 18 and 19 over the flange portions 26 and 27 to permit the claws to embrace the sash guides and draw the frames 16 and 17 together.

I An identical clip is snapped over the opposing frame member sash guides (not shown) to bind the windows together in a neat, assembled and safely transportable package. Other clips may be disposed at other places in the frames to secure them against shifting.

A groove 28 may be formed on the sloping clip body side 14 near the claw 13, to permit a tool, such as a screw driver (not shown), to press against the clip 10 and snap the clip it into or out of engagement with the sash guides 24% and 25. Moreover, the clip body portion 11 can be provided with a roughened or corrugated bearing surface (not shown) near the plane of maximum camber to further facilitate the manual connection of the clip 10 with the storm window frames 16 and 17 to form the package.

The assembled pair of windows can be protected from marring or scratching by enclosing them in a Wrapper of corrugated paper or the like.

As is apparent from the foregoing, the present invention provides a very sturdy, easily assembled and disassembled package for the shipment of storm windows and the like. The arrangement of the windows with their frames in back-to-back relation enables them to reinforce each other and provides a rigid package which is not damaged by the normal handling of the unit. Moreover, the sashes are protected around their peripheries by the assembled frames and by the corrugated board wrapping so that they are not exposed and susceptible to breakage or deformation.

While a representative embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described for purposes of illustration various changes and modifications can be made therein as pointed out above without departing from the principles of this invention. Therefore, all such changes and modifications are included within the intended scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A package, comprising a pair of storm window frames in interfacing alignment, at least one pair of sash guides inside each of said storm window frames, each of said sash guides being disposed on opposite sides of the respective storm window frame parallel with the interface of the storm window frame cooperating with sashes slidably engaged therewithin, a clip having a maximum camber substantially in the plane of the interface and having a generally arcuate resilient body bridging across the interfacing surfaces of said window frames, claws formed on the respective extremities of the arcuate body of said clip and substantially perpendicular thereto cooperatively engaging a sash guide of each of the storm window frames, and a groove formed in the cambered clip surface near one of the claws to facilitate engaging and disengaging the clip and said sash guides.

2. A package comprising a pair of window frames in interfacing alignment with corresponding frame members of each abutting each other, at least one pair of sash guides inside each of said window frames and having a flange thereon directed inwardly with respect to said corresponding frame member of the frame, said sash guides being parallel and cooperating with a sash slidably engaged therewithin, a clip having a resilient body portion formed with a maximum camber substantially in the plane of the interface between said corresponding frame members and with angularly related segments on opposite sides of the maximum camber, said clip body bridging across the interfacing surfaces of said corresponding frame memflange, and said clip having a groove formed in one of the body segments near one of the claws to facilitate engaging and disengaging the clip and said sash guide flanges.

3. A package, comprising a pair of window frames in interfacing alignment, sash guides within eachof said window frames, and resilient clip means engaging portions of at least one, sash guide on, each window frame to join said Window frames together, said clip means having a UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,766,317 6/1930 Wheless 206-46 2,216,219 10/1940 Wiley.

2,551,947 5/1951 Hoff 24259 X 2,639,691 5/1953 Zurlo 24259 X 2,746,601 5/ 1956 Rebichon 20665 2,807,356 9/1957 Blum 206-46 2,861,318 11/1958 Fern'berg 24-259 THERON E. CONDON,- Primary Examiner. 

3. A PACKAGE, COMPRISING A PAIR OF WINDOW FRAMES IN INTERFACING ALIGNMENT, SASH GUIDES WITHIN EACH OF SAID WINDOW FRAMES, AND RESILIENT CLIP MEANS ENGAGING PORTIONS OF AT LEAST ONE SASH GUIDE ON EACH WINDOW FRAME TO JOIN SAID WINDOW FRAMES TOGETHER, SAID CLIP MEANS HAVING A GENERALLY ARCUATE RESILIENT BODY BRIDGING ACROSS THE INTER- 